Trouble in Paradise
by charmed1s-halliwells
Summary: An innocent night out leads the Charmed Ones on the trail of a vicious clan of demons preparing a sinister ritual. These demons are ruthless...they kill publicly and viciously. The return of a familiar face puts them back on the right track.R&R!Please!
1. Fireworks

**Trouble in Paradise**

**Chapter 1: Fireworks**

**A/N: This story has been in my head a very long time. I hope you like it. I have the first 5 chapters written down, and I've planned a few after that. This story will be kind of long. Please R&R and enjoy. I don't, in any way, own Charmed. **

It had been planned for weeks. The Halliwells rarely had a normal night out. Such things had a tendency to go wrong. Magic seemed to follow them wherever they go. It was hard to find time away from it all. The Halliwell sisters were the Charmed Ones, the three most powerful witches in the world. They're the protectors of the innocent, and that in itself was a full time job. When Piper, the eldest, saw the add for a midsummer's fireworks display at Golden Gate Park in the Bay Mirror, she saw it as the perfect opportunity.

She could bring her sisters, Leo, and the boys. She had planned everything to the last minute detail. Nothing would go wrong. She wouldn't allow it. Paige could often be found laughing at Piper's constant list making. Paige took a more laid back attitude towards the whole thing. They'd go out, see a show, and have some fun. No big deal. The day leading up to the big night went perfectly. Paige was finally connecting with her newest charge, Phoebe submitted her column, Piper booked a great band for P3…they could do no wrong.

Even Wyatt and Chris were feeling the excitement. They left the house at 6 pm, 4 hours before the show was due to start. So far, there were no signs of crisis, super natural, or otherwise. They were surprised to find the traffic move alarmingly slow as they approached the park. They could see thousands of cars around them, moving at a snail's pace. Paige and Phoebe had decided to go in one car, while Piper and Leo and the boys had gone in another.

"It seems like the whole city came out to see this thing", said Paige, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Phoebe had been unnaturally quiet during the entire car ride. The truth was, Phoebe couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen. They arrived at the park a mere 15 minutes later and the feeling was, for the moment, pushed out of Phoebe's mind. There had to be at least a million people milling about the grass. It took Phoebe and Paige quite a while to find Piper, Leo, and the boys. When they found them, it took a lot of work to stick together.

They jostled themselves through the crowd of people, hoping to find a nice place to sit. They found one after almost an hour of apologizing to the slow moving crowd around them for bumping into some part or another. Piper, Paige and Leo decided to pass the rest of the time talking about anything and everything. Wyatt and Chris contented themselves by playing with the plush toys Piper had thought to bring. Phoebe felt it was best to keep out of the merriment. The feeling of uneasiness had come back, this time much stronger than before.

Phoebe watched the thousands of people who walked past, wondering which of them was in danger. The park was filled to capacity. There were so many people that making out individual faces was near impossible. With a bang, the marvelous display of pyrotechnics began. The crowd was utterly astounded. A million eyes were glued to the fantastic lights and pretty colours. The crowd gasped and applauded in all the right places like a single many headed entity. Phoebe felt fairly certain that her eyes were the only pair not fixed on the multicolored flashes.

Her eyes were frantically sweeping the crowd. The panic she felt had reached a crescendo. Something was about to happen. She knew it, she felt it. Everyone was looking away from the woods, and Phoebe was struck with a disturbing thought. While everyone was looking the other way, it would be extremely easy to sneak up behind someone and kill them. There would be no witnesses, since everyone's attention was elsewhere. The fireworks were so loud that no one would hear a scream. Phoebe shook her head. Why was she even thinking like that?

She concentrated hard on enjoying the rest of the display. Suddenly, Phoebe gasped. It felt as though someone was stabbing her in the gut. She doubled over, falling to the ground and groaning in pain. She could feel the blood seep out as her life slipped away, yet there was no wound. Piper, Paige and Leo all rushed to her side and knelt down beside her. Their faces were contorted in fear.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Paige asked the show before her forgotten. Piper and Leo leaned closer. Piper's face was chalk white. This seemed like a supernatural mystery, the very thing Piper was trying to avoid. Leo looked concerned, especially since he couldn't heal anymore. They all waited for her to answer, though they dreaded what she would say.

Phoebe spoke before she knew what she was saying. "Someone's dying…they've been stabbed…it hurts so much", Phoebe said. She didn't know why she said it, but she knew it was true. The pain was so blinding, tears flowed freely from her eyes. With a shuddering gasp she said, "It's over. He's dead."

_**Tbc…**_

**Please R&R! If you do I'll continue. Up next…Chapter 2: No One Will Notice…a demon stalks his pray, waiting for the perfect time to strike. **


	2. No One Will Notice

**Chapter 2: No One Will Notice**

**A/N: Thanks for your great reviews. They were really encouraging. This chapter will be strangely, from a demon's POV. I hope you like it. I do not own Charmed. If I did, why would I be writing this? **

After years of searching I had finally done it. I found the perfect sacrifice. My clan had ancient rituals that needed to be followed, to the letter, or there would be immediate destruction of our sacred people. The lifeblood ritual was one of the utmost important. My people, known to those outside as the Tarrak Clan were once strong, proud, rulers. Centuries ago we were brought to shame. This ritual of the elders' design was the only way to regain our status in the underworld.

I and the other powerful warriors had amassed most of the necessary ingredients after many moons of searching. The last ingredient was the most important. They needed fresh human blood. They needed the freshly spilled blood of the oldest descendant of the man who ruined them. This descendant was very difficult for him to find. Their family was a very old and secretive one. Finally, he, Mogarth, the strongest warrior of the Tarrak Clan, had found him.

Once the sorcerers had been able to track him, the man was easy to track. He was such a foolish man, to be out at an event like this. Perhaps he thought the danger from my ancient clan had passed. The park was extremely crowded, which would make my task much easier. I was wearing a heavy dark cloak, so as not to be noticed by the ignorant mortals. When I got here, I soon realized that it wasn't necessary. I would not be noticed in this crowd of thousands. My deed wouldn't be noticed either.

I placed my large clawed hand inside my coat pocket. Soon I found the enchanted athame I had placed there. I savored the feeling of the cold smooth handle in my palm. I was itching for the kill. Killing was really my soul purpose. Between each kill, all I could think about was the next. I took the athame from my pocket, admiring the way the light hit the glittering opals embedded in the handle. With this sacred knife I would draw the blood. The foolish mortal won't know what hit him. I will be revered as a god.

I followed him for hours as he made his way around the park. I was itching to kill him, to suck the life from his worthless body. I had to master the impulse. If the man was not killed at precisely the right moment, all would be lost. The decades of planning would have been for naught. Quickly, I stole a glance at the small hourglass I had brought. Only a few more minutes and I would get my reward. I would kill him and drain the life from his body. It was, after all, what I lived for.

He did not notice me behind him. He was much to foolish to notice a demon stalking him. It was almost time. I raised the athame, his muscles coiled. I was ready to strike. The flashing lights the mortals were called fireworks had become. This was going to be much easier then I had thought. Not one of the other mortals was looking in my direction. Usually, my kind doesn't like loud noises. I would usually think of this as a distraction, but it was a welcome one. No one would notice what I was about to do.

The man turned and saw me standing there. His reflexes were quick, but I was much quicker. The man barely had a chance to react before I plunged the athame into his gut. I smiled as he shrieked in pain. His agony was equal to my pleasure. As the blood began to fall, it was absorbed by the spell cast upon the sacred knife. To my great joy, the man bled out slowly, prolonging his agonizing death. In an instant, it was over. The man crumpled to the floor. The oldest descendant of the man who had brought our tribe to shame was dead. My mission was complete.

When I shimmered out, I couldn't help but smile. Finally, we had achieved our century's long goal.

No one would find the body for hours. In a crowd like this, it could be days before anyone noticed a dead man who had come hear alone. The crowd continued to marvel at the fireworks, which went on for at least fifteen minutes after the demon had shimmered away. Not a single member of the crowd, except for Phoebe Halliwell, had noticed the dead man on the ground, nor the pool of blood beside him. That was soon to change.

**TBC…**

**Chapter 3: Mob Mentality … People act differently when they are in a crowd…especially when they see a dead body. **


	3. Mob Mentality

**Chapter 3: Mob Mentality**

**A/N: Thanks all for the reviews. Also a big thank you to those who came to check this out after reading my other story. I do not, in any way own Charmed. I promise that this story is going somewhere. Please R&R!**

Leo and the Charmed Ones were oblivious to the thunderous applause that followed the end of the fireworks display. They were terrified. Phoebe was the most terrified of all. She had felt someone die, and it was horrible. Her sisters had believed her without question. This murder had to be demonic, there was no question. Now they all knew one thing. There were innocents in trouble, and as the Charmed Ones, they had to do something about it. This would be much more difficult then they had anticipated.

The moment the show had ended; there was a mad rush for the exits. People flooded the streets, cars weren't moving in the streets. The police on hand for the event had given up on controlling the crowd. Everyone was walking in the street, around the cars. The traffic signals were all but ignored. It was quite a scene to observe. All laws were forgotten, and it was like a party with a million guests. Piper, Paige and Leo were supporting Phoebe through the crowd. The middle Halliwell was weak from the experience of death.

Out of the mass of moving bodies the Halliwells heard a blood curdling scream. There was a moment of silence. Everyone in the crowd appeared frozen, although Piper assured them that she hadn't done a thing. What followed was a state of extreme panic. The crowd ran wildly to the exit. They were all running in a single direction, yet they all pushed each other out of the way. The Charmed Ones and Leo held onto each other as the crowd pressed in upon them. They began to move to the point every single person in the crowd was running from. They all knew that it was in that place that they would find their innocent.

Although they couldn't hear each other over the constant yelling of the crowd, but they knew where they were going. It took them much longer to get there because the mob of people was extremely pushy. People they had never met shoved them out of the way. The mortals were running as fast as they could. The witches and the former whitelighter did all that they could to get to that place the mere mortals feared. Phoebe was right in what she felt, and the man was indeed dead. They could no longer help him. However, there could still be a demon about, and if there was, they had innocents to protect.

They finally reached the place where the man's body lay. It was a small clearing, mostly free of trees. By now it was free of bystanders, all of them having quickly run away. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige had to fight the instinct to run away. What they saw was certainly a gruesome sight. Blood formed a puddle that was seeping into the lush green grass. More Blood had sprayed in all directions, sticking to the trees. Their eyes were involuntarily drawn to the gash in the man's abdomen. It was truly a horrid sight.

Phoebe knelt down beside the man. She felt like this entire thing was all her fault. She didn't know the man, but she felt an unexplained sadness for him. Phoebe knew there was something she could have done. Why else could she have felt his pain? Hot burning tears flooded her eyes and she hurried to wipe them away. She didn't want her family to see her stupid crying. She had no reason to be crying. She felt a strange connection to him. Phoebe felt as though she should have been able to meet this man, to know him.

Her family was oblivious to the pain Phoebe was inexplicably feeling. They were oblivious to the crowd still panicking around them. They knew only one thing. There was a demon out there who had brutally murdered this man. What they didn't know was why. Demons didn't usually kill a single average person in such a way. The nature of the murder suggested that this man was a target. He had to have done something, or have been someone that the demon saw necessary to kill. This murder wasn't just some random killing. If it was, the demon would have killed more people in such a crowd.

Who was this man? Was he a mere mortal, working with demons in some way? Could he perhaps be a demon himself? Was he a fellow witch? Perhaps he was something more. Knowing who this man was would help them find the demon who had done this, and vanquish it. Paige had the idea to find the man's wallet, to see if there was some ID. She didn't want to risk touching the body, so she put out her hand and called, "WALLET!" No wallet appeared.

Piper said, "Good idea Paige, but I guess he didn't have a wallet." Paige nodded dejectedly. They continued to think of what they could possibly do to. Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of sirens. The sirens soon got louder, which meant they were getting closer. Someone must have called the police on a cell phone. The Charmed Ones didn't have much luck with police. The police would find it suspicious that they were there. They had been at the scene of a few too many crimes.

The only member of the force that knew they were witches was Inspector Darryl Morris. Unfortunately, Darryl was no longer speaking to them, let alone helping them, so they couldn't really count on him to bail them out if things got tough. They couldn't really blame him, but it had been nice to have him as a friend. Little did they know, the police were the least of their worries…

**TBC…**

**Up next… Chapter 4: Darryl's Woes … Darryl is upset to see the Halliwells at the scene of yet another crime. He won't cover for them any more. He tries to treat this like any other investigation. His resolve is tested when a demon attacks the San Francisco Police Department. **


	4. Darryl's Woes

**Chapter 4: Darryl's Woes**

**A/N: I didn't get as many reviews as I had hoped for, but I really enjoy writing this story, so I'm gonna keep updating. I finally know exactly where this is going, and it's gonna be long. I do not own Charmed. Read and Review! Enjoy!**

It was another late night at the station house for Inspector Darryl Morris. For once, his wife Sheila wasn't angry in the slightest. What had angered her to no end in the past was his constant involvement with the Halliwell sisters. Those women meant nothing but trouble. He could scarcely count the number of times he had risked his career to protect their secret. Darryl had been too glad to do it at the time. What those women did was for the good of humanity, he had to admit. It was only recently that he had stopped helping them. The last time he had helped them, it had almost cost him his life. That time things had gone a little too far.

He had been lucky as of late. Recently he hadn't been involved in any cases where the Halliwell sisters were present. With them out of the picture, his solve rate had gone up considerably. His bosses trusted him more, causing his career to improve all around. His career was not the only thing that had improved. Now that he was living the "normal life" as Sheila had put it, a lot of the passion had returned to his marriage. He had regained his wife's trust, something he had been steadily loosing since he discovered what the Halliwell sisters really were. He had forbidden himself to even speak to the Halliwells. It caused far too much trouble, as far as Sheila was concerned.

The sharp ring of the phone jolted him from his thoughts. He needed to be awake now. One glance at the caller ID told him that it was his captain who was calling. He had a new case to solve. '_Please let this not involve the Halliwells_', he thought as he picked up the phone.

"Morris", he answered sharply. He listened as the captain told him the details of his latest mission. He nodded and took notes; when he was listening to his captain speak. His face grew grave as he took in the details of his latest mission. He was grabbing his jacket, and almost out the door before the captain could finish. "Yes sir, I'll be right there with backup sir", Darryl said as he hastily put the phone away. His adrenaline began to pump as he realized what he had to do. From what he gathered, he would have to do some crowd control, all the while solving a murder. This wouldn't be easy.

He hastily slammed the door behind him and made briskly made his way to the parking lot. Getting into his car, he began to drive. He was close to breaking the speed limits. It was true that he was in a hurry, but who could blame him? He knew he was going to have a situation on his hands.

Half a dozen police cars pulled onto the grass at Golden Gate Park. People were running in different directions. It was sheer and utter chaos. The cops in the cars had no choice but to get out and do some crowd control. They had very limited success in trying to ask people to leave in a calm and orderly fashion. Darryl arrived in an unmarked vehicle behind all the rest. Instead of into the crowd, he headed for the place the crowd avoided. At least, nearly all the crowd avoided that place. He could already see 4 people there, and one of them was pushing a stroller. Darryl had a sneaking suspicion that he already knew who those people were.

The presence of the Charmed Ones in that area only confirmed his suspicion that it was there that the real action was. He got out of his car, and new in an instant what the crowd was running from. He saw the body. Judging by how mangled the corpse really was, and by the presence of the Charmed Ones, he reasonably concluded that a demon had committed this murder. No matter what suspicions he had, he would never entertain them. To maintain all he had worked for, he had to treat this like any other case.

"Care to tell me what you're doing here?" he asked the moment he reached the Charmed Ones' side. He would never forget what they had cost him.

It appeared that the Charmed Ones as well had not forgotten. Piper said rather angrily, "You know what we're doing here, Darryl."

He ignored the coldness, and opened up his black notebook to an empty page. "I'll say that again", he said calmly, "Tell me what you are doing here." He began to take down their statements. The Charmed Ones and Leo told the truth…mostly. Actually, the only part they left out was the fact that Phoebe had felt the man's death. Instead, they said that they heard screaming, and being the good Samaritans that they are, they came to investigate. As Darryl took down there explanation, he realized that it sounded not only possible, but plausible. He knew it wasn't the truth, but no other officer would know that.

"Want to tell me why you're really here?" Darryl asked in an undertone.

Paige actually seemed to be considering him for a while. Then she looked at him an said, "No."

Nothing more was said for the all heard screams and gunshots coming from a few feet behind them. Advancing through the darkness was an immense form. When it got closer, they all saw that it was a demon. He was advancing towards the police; their bullets having no affect whatsoever. The hideous creature wearing a cloak as dark as night was making his way through the SFPD. He swiped the officers to the side with a casual sweep of his clawed hand. Darryl tried shooting at it, but of course there was no effect.

"A little help here?" Darryl asked, struggling to get out of the demon's way.

The Charmed Ones hesitated for only a moment. This was the man who refused, point blank, to do them the smallest of favors. Why help him? The instinct to stand back and do nothing was quickly quashed. They were protectors of the innocent. It was their job to help those in need, no matter their personal faults. Looking thoroughly irritated, Piper raised her hands and froze every single person in the area. The demon continued moving. The Charmed Ones knew what they had to do.

**TBC...**


	5. Love Conquers All

**Chapter 5: Love Conquers All**

**A/N: Thanks loyal reviewers! In this chapter, they advance a little in the mystery…but there's also something else really cool. This is going somewhere…I promise. Please read and review! Even if you don't like it, review anyways. No flames please, only constructive criticism. **

Paige stared around at the frozen people around them. The demon was still advancing, completely oblivious to the immobile crowd. Piper flicked her wrists again, probably trying to blow it up. There was a small puff of smoke in front of the demon's chest, but other than that, it was quite unaffected. "What now?" Piper asked, looking to her sisters for support. Phoebe merely shrugged. She was still racking her brains frantically, trying to come up with a plan. Paige threw her head back confidently and looked the demon straight in the eye. Her face was free of fear.

"We fight it", Paige said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

This seemed to inspire an unexpected confidence in her sisters. When the demon was almost upon them Phoebe levitated into the air and unleashed a fierce snap knick at the demon's head. The monstrous creature staggered slightly, but didn't seem really hurt. The demon reached the sister closest to him, Paige, and hurtled a fireball straight at her. She instinctively orbed out, just missing being hit. The demon formed another fireball, but this time Paige was ready.

"FIREBALL!" she called, extending her hand. The fireball disappeared in a swirl of blue orbs, and reappeared in her palm. She threw it at the demon, but the demon shimmered out before the fireball could make contact. Piper pulled a vial of crimson liquid from her pocket. "I brought it just in case", Piper explained. Paige smiled for a moment at her sister's paranoia, but then realized it was justified. Piper threw the potion with perfect aim. It sailed gracefully through the air and hit the demon square in the chest.

There was a puff of smoke, and a flash of light. They could hear the demon screaming in agony and they could smell the burning of its flesh. With one final burst of energy, it was gone. They looked at the crowd, it was still frozen. Leo was showing the boys a stuffed animal, as to distract them from the demon. Of course, being raised around demons, Chris and Wyatt were far from afraid of them. Still, Piper and Leo made sure they saw the minimum number of demons possible. "We have to go", Piper said, looking over at her family.

Paige nodded, understanding that Piper wanted her to orb them away. Phoebe moved closer to Paige and put a hand on the shoulder. Leo brought the stroller forward, and Piper moved forward as well. When Paige was sure everyone was somehow holding on to her, she orbed them all to the attic. Darryl would have a bit of explaining to do when everyone unfroze. Perhaps it was a mark of what good people they were, but they all felt a strange sense of pity for their former friend. The feeling was immediately quashed when they reformed in the attic. They had work to do. First sleep, of course, then work.

They had vanquished the one demon, sure, but there was bound to be others. A single demon could not have murdered that man. There was some sort of plot here. If it was just a random killing for food or for fun, the demon would not have killed so deliberately, or so publicly. There were most certainly several demons working together. The first step was to find the demon they had vanquished in the Book of Shadows. At first, they thought that wouldn't be a problem. The Book of Shadows always seemed to give them answers when they needed them.

After they woke up early, they looked for hours, only taking a break to stretch their legs, or get something to eat. It was long and tiring work, but somebody had to do it. Leo and the Charmed Ones looked through every page, what seemed like thousands of times, but yielded no results. Finally, they were all close to giving up. About 3 hours into looking, Leo had to head back to magic school, Piper needed to get something from P3, and Phoebe had an important meeting at work. That left Paige alone with Chris and Wyatt in the attic.

She flipped through a few more pages then slammed the book closed in frustration. This was getting her nowhere fast. Her eyes and neck were beginning to get sore after bending over the book for hours at a time. That ancient tome really needed an index. She got up from the chair she was sitting in, desperate for a chance to stretch her legs. She found herself pacing back and forth on the attic floor, unsure of what to do. She looked over to the crib where Wyatt and Chris were playing. They didn't need her at the moment.

"I could use a little **_help_**", Paige said, looking upwards. She expected the pages to begin flipping, aided by Grams, which was what often happened. What happened was something she didn't expect at all. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a swirl of blue-white lights. A whitelighter had answered her plea for help. That didn't make sense at all. She wasn't on the best of terms with the elders and other whitelighters. Which one of them would answer her calls?

When she saw who it was, she gasped. In the corner of the attic orbed the only man she had ever truly loved. Kyle Brody. She thought she would never see him again. In a moment that contained eternity she stared into his eyes. She could get lost in those beautiful brown eyes. Paige forgot everything except the fact that Kyle had returned to her. Without thinking, she ran to him and locked him in a tight embrace. He was finally in her arms again, and she never wanted to let go. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but she didn't know where to start.

"Are you staying?" she managed to ask.

"I'm staying Paige", he said, "I'll never leave again."

Paige still didn't understand why he was back, after all this time. "Why?" she breathed.

He looked at her again, a look filled with love and devotion. Looking into Kyle's eyes made Paige feel safe and warm. "I'm your new whitelighter Paige. I'm the Charmed Ones new whitelighter. The elders realized that we were meant to be together, so they let me come back. I've never stopped thinking about you. You mean the world to me. I want us to be together forever. I'm sorry I had to leave you Paige, and I'll never leave you again, not willingly. I love you."

Paige was completely taken aback by this. She didn't know what to say, or even what to think. One look at Kyle told her all she needed. Kyle meant what he said, and she felt the same way. "I've missed you Kyle. There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about you. I really believe that we're soul mates. You complete me, you make me whole. I know we're going to be together forever, because we're perfect for each other. I'm sorry I never said it before…but…I love you Kyle", Paige said.

The two locked eyes again. They had each poured out their soul to the other. They were now sure of what they always suspected. They would be together forever. Their faces drew closer and closer together. Before they knew what was happening, they were kissing passionately. They kissed for several minutes, and Paige felt happy, loved and whole…

**TBC…**

**Up next…Chapter 6: The Ritual …The Charmed Ones and their whitelighter learn of the ritual the demon clan has planned. They only have 24 hours to prevent it. If they don't…It'll be really bad . **


	6. The Ritual

**Chapter 6: The Ritual**

**A/n: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I hope you all like this chapter. I'm feeling kind of uninspired at the moment. I still hope you like it. Please read and review. If you don't, you might make me cry. **

Kyle was sitting back on the antique sofa, with Paige beside him, resting her head on his chest. They could stay like that forever. At least, they wished they could. Paige had a demon to vanquish, and Kyle did have other charges. They stayed the way they were for as long as they possibly could. The two felt so calm and so peaceful. They were at peace, and they didn't want that feeling to end. Kyle glanced upwards. He was hearing that all two familiar jingling. It could mean only one thing. The elders were calling him.

"They're calling?" Paige asked. She recognized his expression, having been called by the elders many times herself.

"Ya", said Kyle regretfully. "I have to go. You can't tell your sisters you saw me yet. It's too soon for them to know." Paige nodded in understanding, as she watched Kyle disappear in a swirl of blue-white lights. She missed him already. A few moments after Kyle left, she heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. She heard the key turn into the door. One of her sisters were home.

"Paige, you still here?" she heard Phoebe's voice yell up the stairs.

"Still in the attic", Paige yelled.

Phoebe walked up the stairs and opened the attic door. She saw Paige sitting on the sofa, smiling from ear to ear. "What are you so happy about?" Phoebe asked curiously. Paige hated lying to her sister, but she knew she must. "Nothing", Paige said, hastily wiping the smile off her face. She sat up straighter and allowed Phoebe to sit down beside her. Phoebe looked a bit distracted.

"What's up?" Paige asked her older sister. Phoebe shrugged. She didn't really know how to answer that. She wasn't really sure what was wrong. All day, she had a feeling that something horrible was about to happen. Phoebe couldn't really explain it, but she knew it was true. Something horrible was about to happen. She didn't know how she knew it, but she knew.

"I'm not really sure", Phoebe said slowly, "I've just had the strangest feeling all day. I feel like something horrible is about to happen." Paige looked at her, a worried crease formed above her brow. Usually, Phoebe bad feelings ended up being more than just feelings. If Phoebe was feeling like that, there was a good chance they were in grave danger.

"What sort of feeling?" Paige asked tentatively. Phoebe thought for a moment, trying to find the right words to describe what she was feeling. Instead of answering, she walked over to the Book of Shadows. She flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. She smoothed out the aged and yellowed page, and motioned to her sister to come closer to her. Paige came over and looked over Phoebe's shoulder at the Paige from the Book of Shadows. What she read caused her to shiver involuntarily. On the page an ancient clan was describes, followed by the most terrible of rituals

_**The Tarrak Clan**_

**During the middle ages, they were the proud rulers of the underworld. All demons, even the source himself followed their command. The words of any one of these demons was considered law. For two centuries these demons formed a powerful hierarchy. Aidan Munro, a powerful witch, and the high priest of a powerful coven, defeated the ruler of the clan after a bloody battle. It was confirmed that he used a spell and a potion, but the specifics are unknown. After the vanquish of the ruler, most of the Tarrak disintegrated. Although there are a few members of the Tarrak left, the remain inactive. Beware of the blood ritual they might try to get their old power back. Should this ritual succeed it shall be the end. **

Paige and Phoebe didn't like the sound of that. The man in the park had not been identified, but it was safe to bet that he was connected to the Tarrak in some way. Phoebe turned the page, and they found there the details of the blood ritual. What they read made their blood run cold. This ritual had to be stopped at all costs. By the looks of it they needed the Power of Three, which meant they needed Piper. They read the entire description of the ritual in horror.

**_The Blood Ritual…_**

**_A dark ritual used to resurrect a fallen demon. It requires the freshly spilled blood of the one who vanquished the demon. If that person is already dead, the ritual requires the blood of that persons eldest descendant. Other ingredients include the heart of a neophyte witch, a hair of a dead whitelighter, several ancient poisons and a live sacrifice of a magical child. Should the ritual succeed, two things shall happen. The Tarrak Clan will rise again, and it will be the end of the world as we know it._ **

Each ingredient was more horrific than the last. It was a disgusting ritual, and it's results were more horrible than they could contemplate. They knew they were going to stop this ritual. They had to, it was their destiny. There was an uncomfortable silence between them. "We need to call Piper", Paige said urgently. Phoebe nodded in agreement. They'd rather be doing something, instead of doing nothing. Paige was very worried. She went over to the phone to call Piper, who was still at P3.

She tried to keep the panic out of her voice as she spoke to her oldest sister. Unfortunately, Piper saw right through her. Paige's worry inspired worry in her sister as well. Paige didn't tell her sister the whole story, but she told her enough to cause her to worry. Piper said she would be home right away. Phoebe tried the best she could to look on the bright side of things. At least they knew what had caused the murder in the park. In truth, she felt very uneasy about this whole thing. These demons seemed like a formidable foe, and she really wasn't sure how they could beat them.

Phoebe turned to the page in the Book of Shadows and was immediately thrown into a premonition. She saw death everywhere. There was blood. Destruction. Fire. Everyone was in pain. The world was thrown into darkness. There was screaming. All around the world , she could hear it. The demons roamed free, preying on the weak. There was no light anymore. She was spiraling downwards. Out of control. With a flash, she was thrown back into her reality.

She landed with a thud on the floor of the attic. She was very pale and she was shaking. Phoebe knew what she had seen, and it terrified her to no end. She saw what would happen if they failed. Paige helped her up into a sitting position. "What did you see?" Paige asked. Although, judging by her sister's reaction to her premonition, Paige wasn't really sure she wanted to know.

Phoebe took a deep breath before answering, "The end of the world…"

**Tbc…**


	7. Ingredients and the Children

**Chapter 7: The Ingredients and the Child**

**A/N: Thanks for the kind reviews! I hoped to get more, but the ones I did get were really nice. In fact, it was those reviewers that inspired me to write this chapter. I don't really like this chapter, but what do I know? I hope you guys like it. I actually know where this is going, and it is going somewhere, I promise. It probably sucked, but I'm going away where there is no computer, so I wanted to give you guys something. As a reward to those who reviewed, I am now going to respond to your reviews individually. If you review this chapter, you'll get a response!**

**Alyssa Halliwell: The part with Paige/Kyle was my favourite part! I'm a big fan of that couple, and I'm including as much of them as I can in this fic. **

**oOo – vicki – oOo: Glad you like it! The ass kicking is coming, and I'm looking forward to it! I just had to bring Kyle back. I can't write a fic without Kyle Brody!**

**Starry Sky 44: I start school next week! I hope I won't be busy like you :'( Glad you like my story! Making up the demon was really hard work…I'll probably forget details about it. Keep reviewing**

Piper made it home in record time. It was something about her sister's tone of voice that showed the urgency of the situation. She didn't yet fully understand what the threat was, but she knew that it was serious. Piper reached the front door of the Manor only 10 minutes after receiving the phone call and leaving P3. She opened the door with her key, and stepped into an empty house. "I'm home", Piper called.

"In the attic", called the anxious voice of Phoebe.

Piper raced up the stairs two by two. She was ready to face whatever demon they needed too. After a certain decrease in vanquishing in recent weeks, Piper was ready and willing to kick some demon ass. She entered the attic to find her two sons playing in the playpen, and her sisters huddled around the book of shadows. "So guys, what are we dealing with?" Her sisters laid out the whole situation for her, including the possibility of the apocalypse. To say Piper was worried was a bit of an understatement.

"The problem is we're not sure what to do now", Paige said in an exasperated voice.

Piper thought for a moment. They had to prevent the demon ritual. That was a given. The demons needed certain ingredients. It was certain they had the blood. That was what the murder in the park was for. Perhaps they could scry for the demons? Or maybe they should start their search by looking for the other ingredients. If they already had the heart of the witch, or the magical child, there should be some record of this. If not with the mortal police, than with the elders. If any witches or magical children had gone missing recently, the elders were sure to know.

Piper was feeling very confident in her plan now. It was as good an idea as any. "We need to find the ingredients. If we find them, we can find the demons." Both Phoebe and Paige were very keen on this plan. It was certainly promising.

"I'm going to ask the elders", said Paige begrudgingly. She didn't really like the elders much for everything they had put her family through. She avoided meeting them at all costs. Still, the fate of the world rested on the Charmed Ones being able to stop the ritual. If she had to see the elders to do that, so be it. With a sigh, Paige orbed out.

"I'll check with Darryl, see if the police know anything", Phoebe said. Piper had no objection to this. It was the most logical course of action. Phoebe left the attic to get the cordless phone. She hoped Darryl would tell them something. They weren't really on the friendliest terms as of late. Not that Phoebe blamed him. If she was in his situation, she might have reacted in very much the same way. She needed to make Darryl understand the gravity of the situation. The apocalypse was a scary thought, and she was the one who had seen it.

'_Well, there's not much left for me to do', _thought Piper with a sigh. She flipped through the Book of Shadow's absentmindedly, hoping for a solution to magically appear. The pages didn't start turning, nor did an entry start writing itself. Piper was forced to come to the conclusion that a magical solution was not going to appear. With nothing to do, Piper picked up Wyatt, then Chris out of the playpen. She placed them on the floor with all their toys, and was content to watch them play with each other. She smiled as Wyatt orbed a toy into his little brothers hands.

It was in that moment that Piper realized how lucky she was to have her two magical boys. Thinking of her sons reminded Piper of one of the ingredients to the ritual. The demons needed to sacrifice a magical child. She hugged both of her boys, praying that it wasn't them that the demons came after. She would never let a demon get either of her children. Ever. They would have to go through her first. So far, that was something that no demon had managed. The thought gave her some comfort as she returned to the pedestal that held the book.

Piper didn't know it, but the demon already had the child that they wanted to sacrifice. Five year old Bridgette Thompson was in a crystal cage, surrounded by angry looking demons. She wasn't at all scared of them. She had seen her mother vanquish demons hundreds of times. Bridgette merely looked at the demons curiously. They certainly were funny looking. "What are you looking at brat!" the nearest of the demon's spat angrily.

Bridgette didn't much like being called brat. She glared at the demons, folding her small arms over her chest in anger. "You big meanie!" she yelled, "You don't scare me! My mommy's gonna vankish you real good. You gonna be real sorry. She's gonna make you be on fire!" The demons looked rather amused by her angry little tirade. The nearest of the demons, who seemed to be the leader of the group, growled and formed a fireball in his hand. Bridgette visibly cringed, and the demon smirked.

"Not so brave now girly", he snarled.

Suddenly, a strange expression flitted over the young girl's face. It was almost as if she was in a trance. "The Charmed Ones are gonna stop the richeal", said Bridgette innocently, "They're gonna vankish your butt!" The demon was blindsided by this revelation. He let the fireball dissipate, and took a step towards the small girl.

"How did you know about the ritual? What about the Charmed Ones? No matter…they can never vanquish us, nor can they stop our ritual. We are to powerful!" the leader of the demons said.

Bridgette put her hands on her waist and looked at the demons like she was scolding a naughty child who wouldn't listen to reason. "Duh! They're gonna stop you. That's what they do. Besides, I saw it…and I'm a psychic! Anyways…the Charmed Ones are the most powerful witches in the world. Everybody knows that!" Bridgette said, as if that settled everything. She had angered the demons, sure, but they needed her.

"Now, you're gonna get me my dolly, or else I'm gonna scream", Bridgette said authoritatively.

No one, not even powerful demons, knows what to do about a child who doesn't get their way…

**TBC…**


	8. The First Try

**Chapter 8: The First Try**

**A/n: I've been working on this chapter since forever, I'm so glad to finally post! Thanks to those few who reviewed! I love you! I don't own Charmed, by the way. **

**Starry Sky 44: I'd never risk my favorite magical babies being hurt! You'll find out what everyone knows. **

**Alyssa Halliwell: I loved writing Bridgette. She's exactly like my little sister :p**

**JadeAlmasy: I love it too!**

Piper was still sitting in the attic, content to watch her children play. She had prepared a stockpile of generic vanquishing potions, but she wasn't convinced that they would be of any use. The demons they were facing were powerful, so she had prepared a power of three spell for good measure. The rhyming wasn't exact, but it would work. She waited for her sisters to come back. She hoped they knew something. Without their knowledge what she had done would be useless.

Paige appeared in a swirl of blue-white lights. She looked flushed, and she had an excited expression. "I found one of the ingredients. The elders found out about a witch who went missing about a week ago", Paige said in a single breath. Piper did her best to digest this new information. There was a high likelihood that this woman was dead.

"What's her name?" Piper asked softly.

"Kylie Carter", Paige said. Paige began talking rather quickly again, "I didn't tell you the best part. I spoke with her whitelighter, and she gave me a locket that belongs to Kylie, so we can scry with it." Paige always got excited when they discovered crucial information that could help them save the world. Paige handed Piper the golden chain with the small heart shaped locket. Piper took it without hesitation.

She went to the place where they kept the Wicca supplies and took out several maps, and a crystal on a string. In one hand, she held the locket, and in the other, she spun the crystal just above the map. Paige pocketed a few of the potions and walked over to entertain Wyatt and Chris. Piper had been spinning the crystal for less than a minute when she heard the crunch of gravel from the driveway.

"Phoebe's home", Paige said.

Sure enough they heard Phoebe call, "Guys, I'm home, and I found something!" Paige and Piper heard thunderous footfalls up the attic stairs, and a moment later, Phoebe was in the attic. She was carrying a large folder, and several items in labeled plastic bags. She placed the items on the floor next to Piper.

"Darryl was kind of reluctant to tell me anything, but when I told him that there was a little kid involved, he gave me these", Phoebe said gesturing to the items on the floor. "Here's a file on a five year old girl named Bridgette Thompson. She went missing 3 days ago. Darryl also let me have some of her personal items to see if I can get a premonition", Phoebe said.

"Okay, so, we find where Bridgette is being held, and we use the potions and spell Piper prepared to vanquish these creeps. Simple", Paige said, loving the clarity of this mission.

Piper continued spinning the crystal over the map for several minutes. In her left hand, she held the necklace. Phoebe took several items out of their plastic evidence bags. First she held a teddy bear, concentrated, yet yielded no result. Next she picked up a Barbie doll, a blanket and a toothbrush. Phoebe was about to pick up a hairbrush when the crystal was pulled to the map.

"We've got them!" Piper said triumphantly.

At that moment, Phoebe picked up the hairbrush and gasped. Her whole body convulsed as she was thrown into a premonition.

She saw a dark cave full of the same kind of demon. They were all muscular, and vaguely human, but most certainly demonic. They were a very distinctive shade of lime green. Black stripes covered their arms and legs, and Phoebe could see their razor sharp teeth and long sharp talons. They were very animalistic looking. Phoebe had seen many terrifying creatures, and looks wise, these demons were among the worse.

In the center of the cave where the demons congregated, there was a circle of crystals forming a cage. In the center of the cage sat a little girl. She wore pink overalls, and her brown hair was worn in pigtails. It was identical to a picture of Bridgette she had seen in the file. She was looking at the demons with a defiant look on her face. Phoebe took the time to memorize the image, and imprint it on her psyche.

With a gasp Phoebe returned to the attic. Piper and Paige were instantly at her side. "What did you see?" Piper asked.

"I saw Bridgette, I know where she is", Phoebe replied. She pointed to the map, at the exact place the crystal had landed. "There", she said.

"That's where the new witch is too", Piper said. "That's where the demon will be. Let's go", Piper said, putting a few of the potions in her pocket and handing the rest to her sisters. Paige held out her hands, and her sisters took them. They started to orb, but then stopped.

"Are you sure we're ready?" Paige asked.

Piper nodded emphatically. "We're ready", Piper said surely. Paige nodded unsurely, and the Charmed Ones disappeared in a swirl of light.

They reappeared in a dark cave. '_They always live in caves!' _Phoebe thought irritably. In the center of the cave was a crystal cave surrounded by demons. They could see the little girl trapped inside. On the far wall of the cave, they could see an altar draped in black. Surrounding the altar were several black pillar candles. They couldn't make out what was on the alter, but they saw something that looked suspiciously like blood.

"Hey tall dark and ugly!" Phoebe yelled to the demons. They turned to face them, and Piper and Paige saw for the first time how hideous they really were. Piper gripped the cool vial of crimson potion in her hand. Her sisters each had an identical vial. For the concoction she had created, they needed to throw the potions in unison.

"Ready?" Piper asked. Her sisters silently nodded. They pulled their arms back and pitched the potions in the center of the demon horde. The demons were thrown backwards, and obscured by thick red smoke. Piper took the paper with the spell on it out of her pocket and smoothed it flat. Phoebe and Paige gathered close so they could see the spell and say it together. The Charmed Ones chanted.

"Demon from down bellow,

You fell so many years ago.

With this heinous ritual you want glory,

But you crossed us so you'll be sorry.

We call upon our ancient power

To vanquish you in this darkest hour!"

The spell had no effect whatsoever. The smoke was beginning to clear. Out of desperation, the Charmed Ones repeated the spell twice, and then thrice. By this time, the smoke had cleared, and they had succeeded in nothing but pissing the demons off.

The closest demon growled, and began to walk forward.

"Foolish witches!" the demon snarled. "You dare try and stop our ritual. In 36 hours the world will end, and now we will kill you!" The demons at once waved their arms and sent the Charmed Ones flying in the cave wall. Phoebe and Paige managed to pick themselves up with only minor bruising, but Piper remained unmoving on the cave floor. There was a small trickle of blood coming out of a wound on her head.

Phoebe kneeled down and felt Piper's wrist. She was relieved to find that her sister still had a pulse, however faint. Paige saw the demon that appeared to be the leader advance towards them with a fireball formed in his hand. Paige grabbed Piper's unconscious hand, and Phoebe was still holding on to Piper. Paige orbed them all out a second before being hit by the fireball…

**TBC…**


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